1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inventory management systems for consumable supply items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing controlled access to supply items and automatically determining changes in inventory levels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various systems are known for providing controlled dispensing and inventory management for a variety of items. For example, in the medical field, systems are known for providing controlled access and inventory management for pharmaceutical supplies. Similarly, there are known systems for accurately managing inventory levels for raw materials and work-in-process materials in a manufacturing environment. However, in each of these instances, the inventory items are characterized by a relatively high per-item cost. Therefore, it is economically feasible to employ complex systems to accurately manage inventory levels and/or control dispensing of the items.
In contrast, the inventory of supply items characterized by a low per-item cost is typically managed by physical inspection of the quantity of items present. Although these types of supply items, such as office supplies or industrial supplies, are utilized by a large variety of businesses, the use of known controlled inventory systems is not economically justified in these low per-item cost applications. As is known, inventory control by physical inspection may be unreliable and often results in depletion of certain supply items before a restocking order is generated.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an economically-feasible system for use with relatively low per-item cost supplies, such as office supplies or industrial supplies, which accurately manages inventory levels to ensure a sufficient level of supply items are available. These systems are especially advantageous for providing controlled access to such low per-item cost supplies.
One aspect of a preferred controlled inventory system is an office supply dispensing apparatus including a cabinet defining an enclosed space and having at least one door. The at least one door has a secured position wherein access to the enclosed space is prevented. The cabinet includes at least one surface within the enclosed space, wherein the at least one surface is configured to receive a quantity of an office supply item. The dispensing apparatus includes a controlled inventory arrangement comprising a memory for storing a programmable protocol, a processor for processing the programmable protocol, and a user interface electrically connected to the processor. The user interface is configured to receive a user identification input. The controlled inventory arrangement also includes a weight sensor electrically connected to the processor, wherein the weight sensor is operatively associated with the at least one surface to determine the weight of the quantity of office supply items. The controlled inventory system is configured to release the at least one door from the secured position in response to processing of the programmable protocol upon receiving an approved user identification input. The controlled inventory arrangement is additionally configured to determine a change in the quantity of office supply items in response to processing of the programmable protocol upon determining a change in weight of the quantity of office supply items.
A further aspect of a preferred controlled inventory system is a perishable item dispensing apparatus including a refrigerated cabinet defining an enclosed space and having at least one door. The at least one door has a secured position wherein access to the enclosed space is prevented. The cabinet includes at least one surface within the enclosed space, wherein the at least one surface is configured to receive a quantity of a perishable item. The dispensing apparatus includes a controlled inventory arrangement comprising a memory for storing a programmable protocol, a processor for processing the programmable protocol, and a user interface electrically connected to the processor. The user interface is configured to receive a user identification input. The controlled inventory arrangement also includes a weight sensor electrically connected to the processor, wherein the weight sensor is operatively associated with the at least one surface to determine the weight of the quantity of perishable items. The controlled inventory system is configured to release the at least one door from the secured position in response to processing of the programmable protocol upon receiving an approved user identification input if the current date is before the expiration date of the desired perishable item. The controlled inventory arrangement is additionally configured to determine a change in the quantity of perishable items in response to processing of the programmable protocol upon determining a change in weight of the quantity of perishable items.
Another aspect of the controlled inventory system includes a method of controlled dispensing of office supplies. The method includes providing a secured selection of office supply items, wherein each of the office supply items has a known weight. The method also includes authenticating the identification of a user of the office supply items and asking the user to select a transaction account. The method further includes allowing the user to access a portion of the selection of the office supply items according to predetermined user access rights. The method determines a quantity of the office supply items added or removed by the user by determining a change in weight of the office supply items. Further, the method records the addition or removal of the supply items to the transaction account.
A further aspect of the controlled inventory system includes a method of controlled dispensing of consumable supplies. The method includes the step of providing a secured selection of consumable supply items, each of the items having a known weight. The method further includes the step of providing a plurality of bins for storing the items, each bin having an associated weight sensor for determining the weight of the items within the bin. The method additionally includes authenticating the identification of a user of the items and requesting the user to select a transaction account. The method allows the user to access a portion of the bins according to predetermined user access rights. The method also includes the steps of determining a quantity of the items added or removed from one of the plurality of bins by the user by determining a change in a weight of the bin and recording the addition or removal of the items to the transaction account.